Friday's gossip column - transfers and rumours
Last updated on .From the section Football
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TRANSFER GOSSIP
Chelsea have emerged as favourites to land £15m-rated striker Theo Walcott, 23, from Arsenal.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is willing to offer Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, 26, a £10m-a-year contract to bring him to Stamford Bridge.

Real Madrid are willing to pay up to £56m to land Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, 23, during the next two transfer windows.
Manchester United and Arsenal are battling to capture PSV Eindhoven's £17m-rated midfielder Kevin Strootman, 22.
Liverpool's hopes of signing Barcelona winger Cristian Tello, 21, appear to be over after he signed a new contract with the Spanish club - but he does have an £8m buy-out clause.
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez will not sell midfielder James McCarthy, 22, in January. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is thought to be keen on signing him.
Arsenal and Manchester City are preparing to test Athletic Bilbao's resolve to keep hold of striker Fernando Llorente, 27, in the January transfer window.
Full story: the Times (subscription only)
Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 29, would prefer a move to Inter Milan this January over Arsenal or Liverpool, according to the player's agent.
Swansea want to sign 22-year-old West Bromwich defender Craig Dawson.

Newcastle are in competition with Juventus to sign Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko, 23.
Everton are unlikely to try to bring United States international Landon Donovan, 30, to Goodison on loan for a third time in January.
Roma are leading the race to sign Portuguese winger Nani, 26, from Manchester United when the transfer window re-opens in January.
Fiorentina will make a £5.6m bid for QPR midfielder Esteban Granero, 25, next month.
Full story: London's Evening Standard
Frank Lampard, 34, accepts he will be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season.
OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester City defender Micah Richards, 24, hopes to return to playing by early February after knee surgery in October.
Full story: Manchester Evening News
Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov says former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, 35, should join Arsenal's coaching staff.

Former Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli says that he and Kenny Dalglish were judged too quickly at the club.
Full story: The Times (subscription only)
Fulham boss Martin Jol is confident captain Brede Hangeland, 31, will sign a new deal.
Full story: London's Evening Standard
Wolves academy manager Kevin Thelwell has been promoted to the new role of head of football development and recruitment, where he will assist manager Stale Solbakken with first-team player recruitment.
AND FINALLY
Ashley Cole was made to wait on his Chelsea team-mates at dinner as punishment for losing at tenpin bowling on a team-bonding night in Yokohama ahead of their Club World Cup appearance.
Joey Barton's dream move to Marseille looks to have turned sour after the 30-year-old moaned on Twitter at having to play in front of "no fans" and then have a "freezing" cold shower.
Comments
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Put yourself in hid shoes ;
Average career span of ten years in the PL and his agent says " city are offering squintillians for you son ( and I hope your not bright enough to realise than 15% of that is mine ), it would be a step forward.
The lad, and thousands more, have nothing to fall back on so get the money in the bank now and do " a Norman Whiteside ".
Also the top goalscorer for AFC? Good Riddance? Where would they be without him. Somthing for you to think about.
Now come on!
If I gave you the sources of my exclusive scoop (comment 1) you would all want to be a serious sports journalist just like what I am.
I think Adam Johnson made a mistake of going to City,and not getting picked. Any player would lose confidence.And now he's playing in a poor team.He would be a good replacement for Nani at a good price,if we don't get Walcott.
I've always liked Banega and think Isco is class but Wenger is apparently long-term friends with Gourcuff's dad Christian so why he hasn't tried to sign him is a mystery. I have to say that Johnson does give off a miserable vibe but I always thought that was down to him never getting a game at City. Downing is not worthy though. Either way, new blood is desperately needed at Arsenal.
So Bracewell smith you are to blame, its your fault, you sold to the wrong man through ignorance and you shall be remembered for that
STRIANGHT from the horses mouth!!!!!!! You should learn to spell yourself before pulling other people up.
Ha ha DONUT
There are so many better options out there.
Theo - Johnson/Jarvis/Hernandez/Nani
Santos - Debuchy/Bertrand/Enrique
Chamakh - Llorente/Sessegnon/Remy/Gomis
Ramsey - Gourcuff/M'Vila/De Jong/Cambiasso
Gervinho - Turan/Giovinco/Ethrington/Pacheco
Take your pick.
Sturridge to Liverpool? Just whats needed.